Marine pedometer



P 1953 H. w. GOFF MARINE PEDOMETER 8 SheetsSheet-l Filed Dec. 1, 1949 INVENTOR AGENT Sept. 22, 1953 H. w. GOFF 2,652,303

MARINE PEDOMETER Filed Dec. 1, 1949 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 2

INVENTOR H. w. GOF F Sept. 22, 1953 H. w. GOFF. 2,652,803

MARINE PEDOMETER 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed D60. 1, 1949 FIG. 3

Sept. 22, 1953 H. w. GOFF MARINE PEDOMETER 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Dec. 1, 1949 lNVENTOR H.W 2%- B @DIQQ 4 lllllllllll AGENT p 1953 H. w. (50F? MARINE PEDOMETER s sheets-sheets Filed Dec. 1, 1949 INVENTOR .VOGEFF AGENT Sept. 22, 1953 .H. w. GOFF MARINE PEDOMETER 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Dec. 1, 1949 FRONT 0550,41-

'IVNI/ENTOR y H. W GOFF AGENT Sept; 22, 1953 Filed Dec. 1, 1949 FIG. 9

H. W. GOFF MARINE PEDOMETER 8 Sheets-Sheet '7 INVENTO/P h. M! GOFF GQML p AGENT Sept. 22, 1953 H. w. GOFF MARINE PEDOMETER 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed Dec; 1, 1949 IN VENT'OR H. W GOFF m pflzm AGENT Patented Sept. 22, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,652,803 MARINE PEDOMETER Harold W. Goff, Manhasset, N. Y.

Application December 1, 1949, Serial No. 130,490

8 Claims. (01'. 115-25) This invention relates to boat propelling devices and more specifically to a rowing device of the pedal-operated type for use, for example, in connection with boats and the like.

The object of the present invention is the provision of a boat propelling device which will be simple in construction, convenient in use, cheap to manufacture and which will permit the operator to face in the direction of the movement of the boat while operating the pedals of the propelling mechanism.

Other objects and novel features of the present invention will appear from the following description and by the claims appended thereto, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical assembly view of the boat propelling device of the present invention showing the oars and their support with portions broken away, the pedals and the parts operatively connecting the oars to the pedals being shown in non-operated position;

Fig. 2 is a top view of Fig. 1, showing the supporting shaft extension for the oars in horizontal section, and the pedals and their supporting yoke with portions broken away, the pedals and their supporting yoke being shown in non-operated position;

V Fig. 3 is a side elevation view of Fig. 1 with a number of operating parts in vertical section to show the diiTerent pivots for one of the pedals on the supporting yoke more clearly the pedals and the parts operatively connected thereto being shown in the vertical and horizontal non-operated position; I

Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1 and looking in the direction indicated by the arrows shown with a number of operating parts with portions broken away, the parts being in the non-operated position;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing the pedals and the oars support in vertical operated position as for dipping the left hand disposed oar into the water;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the pedals and the oars support in horizontal operated position as for propelling the boat when followed by the operation of the pedals from the position shown in Fig. 5, a number of operating parts being shown with portions broken away.

Fig. 7 is a front elevation view with a number of operating parts with portions broken away showing the boat propelling device attached to the boat indicated diagrammatically, with the pedals and the oars actuated therebyin vertical operated position, one of the oars being. shown dipped into the water;

Fig. 8 is a top View of Fig. 7, sh'owingthe oar which is dipped into the water and the right disposed pedal in position preparatory to imparting a propelling effect to the boat;

Fig. 9 is a verticalcross-sectional view taken on line 99 of Fig. 3 showing the different pivots for the yoke and for the links, the latter connecting at one of their ends with swivel pieces pivoted to the pedals and their other ends connecting with swivel pieces pivoted on the yoke connecting support;

Fig. 10 is a partial view showing the pivots and the hub or sleeve for permitting the movement of the yoke in planes at right angles to each other, the sleeve being shown with portions broken away, the support for the pivots being shown in sections taken on line lfl-Iil of Fig. 2.

Fig. 11 is a view similar to Fig. 9, but showing the yoke member, the pedals pivoted at the end of the yoke, and the turnbuckle rods connecting the pedals to the yoke support in different operated positions as for alternately dipping the oars, not shown, into the water; and

Fig. 12 is a partial side view of Fig. 9 with a number of operating parts in vertical section to show more clearly the manner of pivoting the pedals at the end portions of their supporting yoke member, with provision of means in the form of stud elements carried by the pedals for pivoting swivel pieces connecting with similarly disposed ends of associated turnbuckle rods which are in turn pivoted at their opposite ends .to other swivel pieces pivoted on the support for the yoke, such turnbuckle rods holding the pedals in planes relative to the feet of the operator upon the operation of the boat propelling device.

In the rowing device of this invention a pair of rail members I!) and II is provided with clamp- ,ing devices in the form of collar elements [4 and I5, shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 6, 7 and 8, engaging the opposite ends of a supporting bar or tubing it, While bolts, such as X and Y in cooperation with the collar elements I4 and I5 serve for securing this bar and a mounting bracket I 1 carried thereby in the desired angular position so as to locate the pedals 61 and 68 relative to the operator position, thumb screws such as l2 and i3 fitted to the lrail members In and H serve for securing the ,rail members to the gunwales of a boat, shown and 22, best seen in Fig. 4, provided for pivotally receiving a sleeve 23, this sleeve having a drilled hole, disposed at right angles thereto, for receiving a spindle 25, which is held secured at one end into the sleeve 23 by a pin or set screw 24, and on spindle 25 is rotatably mounted a bushing or bearing 21 press-fit in an outer disposed sleeve or hub 26, the latter being capable of free rotation on and held against longitudinal movement on the spindle 25 by a washer 28 and a nut 29 threadedly engaging the reduced end portion of the spindle as shown in Figs. 1 and 4.

According to the construction above described the spindle 25 may be rotated or oscillated in a vertical plane as afforded by the pivotal movement of sleeve 23 on pivots 2i and 22, the pivotal movement of sleeve 23 on pivots 2| and 22 permitting the dipping of the boats oars into the water alternately as will be hereinafter described in detail while the outer disposed sleeve 26 may be moved bodily in horizontal plane on the spindle 25 for imparting a propelling movement to the oars as will be hereinafter described in detail simultaneously or independently of the rotation of sleeve 23 on pivots 2| and 22.

The sleeve 26 is operatively connected to a shaft extension 3Q shown in Figs. 1, 3, i, 5, 6, '7, 9 and 10 by a flange 3|, carried by sleeve 26 and a flange 3IY carried by shaft extension 35 which terminates at its free end with a sleeve portion 35 disposed at right angles to the turning axis of shaft extension 34 and into this sleeve 35 is fitted a bar or tubing 36 secured in the sleeve by a plurality of rivets 31. To the ends of tubing 36 as best seen in Fig. 1 are secured as by welding at equal distance from its pivotal center, the trunnions 38 and 39 serving for mounting as on pivots 4D and M, the inverted U-shaped channel members 42 and 63, While to the opposite ends of these U-shaped channel members are secured as by rivets 5i) and 5| the ends of oar members 66 and 41.

Oar members 46 and 4'! are normally held in the rowing position on the bar 36 and best seen in Figs. 1, 5, 7 and 8 by spring lever members 48 and 49, respectively pivoted on studs M and 45, these levers having lug members 52 and 52Y projecting from both sides thereof at right angles and curved so as to engage substantially onethird the circumference of tubing 36, while the spring lever members 48 and 36 in turn are provided at their opposite ends with similarly-shaped projections or handles 53, shown in Fig. 1 for facilitating the manual operation of these levers for disengaging the curved lug members 52 and 52Y from the bar 36 when the oars may be rotated on their pivots Z6 and 4| into a folded position oblique to the supporting tubing 36, whenever the boat is directed toward the proximity of a landing or dock, and for convenience in the carrying of the apparatus from and/or to the boat.

The sleeve 2'5 is formed integrally with a plate member 54 to which is secured as by the plurality of screws 55 the enlarged plate portion EBY of a yoke member 56. This yoke, as best seen in Figs. 2 and 9 is formed at both ends with cylindrical portions 57 and 58 serving as bearings for similar spindles 59 and 66, respectively fitted for free rotation therein and serving for securely receiving short yoke members in the form of bars 6| and 62 at their middle length portions.

Yokes 6i and 62 as shown in Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 9 are provided with longitudinally drilled holes engaged by studs as 63 and 84 best seen in Figs. 3 and 9 press fit in similar projections $5 and 66, formed integrally and perpendicular to the rear side of pedal plates 61 and 63, each pedal plate being thus capable of universal movement on pivots 59 and 66 and on their respective studs 63 and 64. The projections 65 and 66 carried by pedal plates 61 and 68 are provided with pivots such as 69 shown in Figs. 2, 3, 6 and 9, held against longitudinal movement therein by similar pins as 16 shown in Figs. 2 and 3 and on pivots 69 are mounted the swivel pieces I I having drilled holes disposed at right angles to pivots 69 for receiving the similarly disposed ends of turnbuckle rods 1212Y and 1313Y. The opposite ends of rods 12Y and NY are, in turn, connected to independent swivel pieces 14 and '15, see Figs' 5, 7, 8 and 9 respectively, both pivoted on a stud or shouldered screw engaging support 26, and the pair of rods 12 and 73 is connected to respective swivel pieces 16 and 11, best seen in Figs. 2 and 9, pivoted on a portion of bolt l9 serving to secure the angle-shaped bracket 28 to support I! in addition to screws I8 as above mentioned. The turnbuckle rods 12-12Y and IS-HY are provided for adjusting and holding the pedal plates 61 and 68 in parallel planes relative to each other upon their pivotal universal movement from the position shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 9 to either of the positions shown in Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8 for conjointly imparting similar rowing movement to the oar members 46 and 41 for propelling the boat.

In a typical example of operation of the rowing device of this invention with the operator seated in the direction of the bow of the boat, that is, facing in the direction of the movement of the boat, and with his feet resting on the pedals 61 and 68 now in the position shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 9, a pressure applied downwardly to pedal 61, for example, is efiective to cause the pivotal movement of yoke 56 on pivots 2i and 22 and thereby imparting an oscillatory movement to the bar 36 in a vertical plane for mov ing the oar 46 into the water when reaching the position as shown in Fig. 5, which is followed by a pressure applied to the pedal plate 68 to cause the pivotal movement of yoke 55 on spindle 25 from the position shown in Fig. 2 to the position shown in Fig. 6, so as to impart a propelling eifect to the boat, the turnbuckle rods 'l2?2Y and l3--l3Y holding the pedal plates 67 and 63 in planes parallel to each other as shown in Fig. 6. Similarly, a downward pressure applied to pedal plate 68 is efiective to impart an oscillatory movement to the yoke 56 for moving it on its pivots 2! and 22 and thereby the bar 36 for dipping the oar 41 into the Water as shown in Fig. '7, which is followed by imparting a pressure to pedal 6! for moving it horizontally for moving this oar in that direction and thereby imparting a pro pelling efiect to the boat.

The turnbuckle rods '-'212Y and l3-l3Y because of the free pivotal arrangement in swivel pieces l4-l5 and l6ll which in turn are mounted for free movement on their respective pivots 86 and I9 and the opposite ends of these turnbuckle rods pivoted to swivel pieces "H and the latter freely mounted on pivots 69 permits a so-called universal movement of the pedals on the yoke 56 which in turn may be moved in a vertical plane on pivots 2i and 22 and in a horizontal plane on the spindle 25 which also allows a universal movement of this yoke and thereby permits the movement of the oars as represented by the axis of the ellipse diagrammatically shown in Fig. 8, that is, for dipping the oars alternately into the water and imparting a substantially longitudinal movement to the oars when in the water for propelling the boat.

What I claim is:

1. In a boat propelling device, a universal operating mechanism comprising a yoke member, a support attached to the boat, means carried by said support for pivotally mounting said yoke member for movement at right angles to each other, a sleeve carried by said yoke member, an extension member secured to said sleeve having a tubular element disposed in direction across the boat, a pair of car members, and means carried by each of said oar members for securing the latter in rowing position to means carried by said tubular element, a pivot carried by said yoke member at each end thereof, a bar pivotally mounted on each of said pivots, a pedal mounted for angular movement on each end of said bar at right angles to the pivotal movement of said bar for permitting free oscillation of said yoke upon the operation of said pedals.

2. In a rowing device, a supporting bar, a rail member secured to said supporting bar at each end thereof for engaging elements of a boat to form a mounting frame for said device, a yoke member mounted on said frame for movement in two directions at right angles to each other, a second bar mounted for movement with said yoke member, a pedal pivotally mounted at each end of said yoke member for actuating the lastmentioned bar, an oar member secured at each end of the latter bar for imparting a rowing movement to the boat upon the operation of said yoke by said pedals in said directions, and means defining a linkage mechanism for maintaining each of said pedals in planes parallel to each other upon the movement of said yoke member.

3. In a rowing device, a support, a yoke member mounted for pivotal movement in two directions at right angles to each other on said support, a pedal mounted for pivotal movement at each end of said yoke, a pair of swivel elements mounted on each of said pedals, a plurality of pairs of swivel elements mounted on said support, a pair of turnbuckle rods engaging said swivel elements and forming links connecting said pedals to said support for holding said pedals in parallel relation to each other upon the operation of said yoke by said pedals, a shaft extension carried by said yoke, a bar secured at its middle length portion to said shaft extension in a line substantially parallel to said yoke member, and an oar member secured at each end of said bar for imparting propelling force to a boat upon the operation of said yoke by said pedals.

4. In a propelling device, a support, means carried by said support for securely engaging elements of a boat, a bracket carried by said support, a spindle mounted on said bracket for movement in one plane, a hub member mounted for rotation on said spindle in another plane, a yoke member secured at its middle length portion to said hub member, a pair of oar elements, a shaft extension carried by said hub member having means for removably supporting said oar elements, and a pedal mounted at each end of said yoke member for imparting rowing movement to said elements for propelling the boat, the lastmentioned means being manually operable for releasing said oar elements from said shaft extension supporting means.

5. A rowing device comprising a mounting bar, a pair of rail members having means for securely engaging elements of a boat, means for adjust- 5 ably securing said bar at both ends to said rail members, a support secured to said bar, a spindle mounted for bodily movement in one plane on said support, a hub pivoted on said spindle for rotation in a plane at right angles to the movement of said spindle, a yoke member carried by said hub, a pedal mounted for universal movement on each end of said yoke member for permitting free movement of the latter upon the operation of said pedals, a shaft extension connecting with said hub, a bar securely mounted on said shaft extension at its middle length portion, and an oar member mounted at each end of the last mentioned bar for imparting movement to a boat upon the operation of said pedals.

6. In a boat propelling device, a support, adjustable means carried by said support for securely engaging elements of a boat, a bracket carried by said support, a spindle mounted on said bracket for movement in one plane, a hub member mounted for rotation on said spindle in another plane, a yoke member secured at its middle length portion to said hub member, a pair of car elements, a shaft extension carried by said hub member having means for pivotally receiving said elements, spring means engaging the last-mentioned means for securing said oar elements in rowing position thereon, and a pedal mounted at each end of said yoke for imparting a rowing movement to said oar elements for propelling the boat.

7. In a boat propelling device, a supporting bar, a rail member secured at each end of said bar for engaging elements of a boat, a support carried by said bar, a spindle mounted on said support for bodily movement in one plane, a hub member mounted for rotation on said spindle in another plane, a shaft extension mounted on said hub member for movement therewith, a yoke member secured at its middle length portion to said hub member and having a pedal at each end thereof for imparting movement to said shaft extension in the first and second-mentioned plane by the conjoint operation of said pedals, and means carried by said shaft extension for imparting propelling effect to the boat.

8. In a boat propelling device, a support secured to the boat, a yoke member mounted on said support for movement in planes at right angles to each other, a pedal mounted at each end of said yoke, a shaft connected to said yoke, a bar carried by said shaft extending on each side of said shaft transverse of the boat, an oar member secured to each end of said bar for propelling the boat upon the operation of said pedals for actuating said yoke in one of said planes for dipping one of said oars into the Water and in the other of said planes for propelling the boat.

HAROLD W. GOFF.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 468,960 Vondersaar Feb. 16, 1892 518,605 Hurlburt Apr. 24, 1894 1,120,944 Koble Dec. 15, 1914 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 448,152 France Nov. 19, 1912 572,423 Germany Mar. 16, 1933 

